Surprise, I love you
by LemonDropGarden
Summary: Daphne gets a call from Dr. Crane with an unexpected invitation. What went through her head in the lead-up to her break-down? Reviews & continuations on my stories always welcome! Enjoy!
1. Blinded Date

**BLINDED DATE**

"Oh, hello Dr. Crane," Daphne greeted Niles over the phone, "Perfect timing! You're brother has just walked in!"

"Is that Niles?" Frasier asked as he hung his coat after entering the apartment. Daphne nodded before Niles continued.

"Actually, Daphne, I wanted to speak to you."

"Oh?" was all she got out with her frown.

Frasier was nearing her so she shook her head and turned her back towards him to let him know the phone call wasn't for him.

"I was wondering if you would be willing to come over to my place tomorrow night to teach me how to make the sticky toffee pudding I asked you about? That is, if you don't have any plans on a Saturday night?"

Daphne suddenly felt nervous. She knew it wasn't a date. They were both in committed relationships. The only thing was, ever since she found out about his feelings, she kept anticipating when he would tell her himself.

"I uh... Sure, Dr. Crane. I don't have any plans," she said with a smile and Niles could hear it in her voice. "Oh, okay then! Wonderful!"

Niles was beaming. She had made it so easy for him. Why couldn't it have been this easy when he had had other intentions?

"Come over around 6:30 pm?" he said.

"I'll see you then!" she responded, enthused.

Martin entered just as they hung up. "Hey Daph! Who was that on the phone?" he asked, wondering whether Niles had asked her yet.

"It was Dr. Crane. "He wants me..." She paused to sneeze. "...to help him with a recipe tomorrow night."

He wants you alright! Martin thought. "Oh that's nice. You're not busy tomorrow?"

"No, Donny has a few cases to go over at the firm for Monday so he'll be busy. I was just going to stay in and look through a few bridal magazines," Daphne responded.

"I see. Well ya could come by here once ya finish with Niles 'cause I'll be here all night if you want some company on a Saturday night."

"Thank you, Mr. Crane," she said before returning to her bedroom.


	2. Massages and Nosebleeds

**MASSAGES AND NOSEBLEEDS**

On Saturday morning, Daphne arrived at Frasier's apartment for Mr. Crane's morning massage therapy. As she began setting up the physio massage table, Niles and Frasier came out of the kitchen.

"She'll be coming over at 6:30 pm. She doesn't suspect a thing," Niles was telling Frasier.

"Oh, Daphne," said Frasier, surprised, "We didn't know you'd arrived!"

"Yes, hello. I just got in. I'm sorry; I didn't think you were here. You're father gave me the key and said to let meself in," she said, wondering whether they had been discussing her in the kitchen. "Hello Dr. Crane," she greeted Niles.

"Hello, Daphne," he smiled and put a handkerchief to his nose when she asked what they were up to this morning.

"Oh just making a few plans for the upcoming weekend," Frasier said as he answered the knock at the door. Daphne knew his response seemed vague and oddly lacking a few boring details that were so characteristic of the Crane brothers but she decided to let them be as she saw Martin at the door.

"Alright, well, if you need anything I'll be here, working. Last few days in your employ, you know. Donny wants me to be his 'little homemaker'," she said staring at the massage table as she waited for Mr. Crane.

"It won't be the same without you here whenever I come over to visit," mused Niles. Daphne smiled.

"Yes and it'll be odd for me too. I've been living here for so long. I thought I'd never leave." she responded while she tied up her hair. Niles watched her intently while Martin greeted them.

"Ugh! Do we have to do the physiotherapy this morning Daph? You should spend your Saturday like a woman engaged should. Treat yourself to a manicure or trip to the hair salon or buy a new outfit for ya honeymoon or somethin'."

"Are you hinting at my appearance? I know I must look a fright. I didn't get much sleep last night."

She noticed Niles looking at her and was suddenly self-conscious. He couldn't possibly know that he was the reason she was up all night, worrying. "Oh that's a shame. You could nap here if you like," said Martin with a hopeful grin.

"Oh no, old man! Now, I know you're just trying to get out of getting on this table! Now hop on!" Martin winced and did as he was told.

"I had better be off," Niles said just as Daphne began her therapy on Martin. "So... Daphne, we're still on for tonight, right? 6:30 pm?"

"Yes, Dr. Crane. 6:30 pm. I'll see you later," she said with a serious face, too nervous that any other expression would give her away.

Niles smiled, nodded and walked backwards toward the door, keeping his eye on her and he nearly tripped. He paused, giggled nervously and greeted his father before leaving.

By the time 4 pm rolled around, Daphne was back at her and Donny's place. Her bed was covered with clothing and the floor was scattered with shoes.

She was sitting on a small open space of bedding in her underwear and dressing gown, feeling a bit hopeless.

_What on earth am I going to wear? s_he thought. She knew what she wanted to wear. She just wasn't sure it would be appropriate. She also knew that of all people, he'd be the one to appreciate it. She extracted the dress from underneath one of the clothing piles and held it against her body once more.

_Would it be too much?_

If he was planning on telling her tonight, she wanted to look good, even if she knew she would have to decline. It would be nice to feel beautiful, especially knowing that he might be staring at her openly once the secret was out. She wanted to feel confident. If not in her decision to decline, then at least in the way she looked.

"That's it, I've decided." She slipped on the dress, a pair of heels and grabbed her clutch & coat on her way out. She had to rush now because she had spent so much time on getting her hair and makeup just perfect, which was so unlike her.


	3. Recipe for Disaster

**RECIPE FOR DISASTER**

When Daphne arrived at the Montana, she found herself checking her reflection in her compact mirror for the third time before knocking on the door. He answered almost immediately and his eyes showed the appreciation confirmed by his compliments. He took her coat and eyed her open back, almost too intrigued to question her unusual choice of attire. She could feel his eyes on her bare skin and it sent a shiver down her spine.

"I-I brought the recipe," she said.

"Hmm?" he asked before remembering the faux reason why he had asked her over. "Oh, right, sticky toffee pudding, hmhmmm!" he said with a twitch of his hand, fighting the urge to touch her.

She allowed herself a knowing smile to before turning to look at him.

"That is why you asked me over tonight, isn't it? To teach you how to make it?" she pushed to see how long he would hold out if she asked him directly, She knew he was an honest man who didn't handle pressure all that gracefully. And they were alone. And she was wearing this dress to which he seemed to be responding favourably. She hoped he would jump right in with both feet because she couldn't tiptoe around, talking about pudding with this on her mind.

"Uh... yes?" he said, unsure of himself. He smiled nervously. She gave him a look as if to say she couldn't be fooled… and that she didn't mind if he had invited her for reasons other than pudding.

"You know why you're here?" he smirked as they moved to sit down.

_He's finally moving forward! He knows I know and he isn't worried I'll run_! _Yes!_ She wanted to scream.

She nodded with a knowing smile. "A man doesn't ask you over on a Saturday night to make pudding," she responded as calmly as possible but her heart was racing at the thought that this would be the moment. It was finally going to happen. She sat on the edge of the fainting couch, unable to relax until this tension had subsided.


	4. Shaken and Stirred

**SHAKEN AND STIRRED**

"Well..." he said. Her eyes were glued to his, awaiting his cue.

"Just make yourself at home," he said with a smile as he touched her arm just below her shoulder. She went rigid. And hot.

As he got up to hang her coat, she touched her arm where his hand had just been. She tingled and suddenly felt nervous but excited of what was to come. She smiled to herself and looked around the room, noting everything in his home so that she could remember this moment in vivid detail - _The beautiful artwork on the walls, the lush material of the fainting couch… the fainting couch I reclined on once… during that steamy heat wave that hit Seattle… while wearing his robe…_

"SURPRISE!" She jumped and her face reddened with fear. Everyone she knew sprung out and scared the daylight out of her. She felt guilty, and tried to remember exactly what she had said to Dr. Crane with these people listening in. Donny rushed to her side.

"You're shaking!"

"Yes, well…I. I'm surprised," she retorted. She couldn't look Donny in the eye.

"Oh come on Daphne, you were onto us!" Niles said as Mel began fondling with his shirt.

"No, really. You had me completely fooled." Her response was directed solely at him and she said it with a hint of disappointment in her voice, unable to hide the feelings that she didn't even register she had.

Her eyes were still on Niles and his weren't on her.

Was she disappointed that he never told her about his feelings so that she could reject him and finally move on... or disappointed that he may not even have those feelings anymore? She wasn't sure but she knew for certain that she was disappointed in herself for thinking such things at her own shower so she decided to submerge herself in the party.

Mel was screaming and blowing a whistle. In other words being her bossy, mean, controlling old self. She'd said it before and she still thought it: _Mel was all wrong for Dr. Crane_. She had told him so before but only because she had a little Dutch courage from one too many a Bloody Mary. She wondered if deep down he loved Mel more than he had ever loved her. He hadn't listened to her drunken advice and had continued seeing Mel after all. Suddenly this party seemed a little too festive.


End file.
